The Darcy Affair
by dulceata
Summary: No one ever said life was supposed to be easy, especially not when you mix pride and prejudice.
1. Prologue

"You are not supposed to be here yet" a deep voice stated from somewhere above her. She could not see his face in the darkness, and yet it was so familiar.

"Sesshoumaru?" she half asked, half demanded.

"Hn." The familiar words to match the familiar voice.

"What year is it?" she asked as she allowed him to pull her out of the well.

"1810."

"The Edo era. We're still isolated from the West then" she mused.

"Hn." He was used to her strange foresight.

"How fairs the West?" she asked as she brushed off her skirt.

"This Sesshoumaru remains its lord. I am the daimyo of the western regions from Tamba to Nagato."*

"Well... not for long" she muttered. His gaze sharpened into a glare. "The Meiji Revolution is approaching, and everything will change. I believe this is when the ningens truly took control. With the destruction of the traditional hierarchy, the youkai lost their political power which had enabled their existence. They faded, or they left." She looked up at him, "Will you fade Sesshoumaru?" she asked with a small smile on her lips.

He snorted. "This Sesshoumaru believes you are correct. It would be more strategic to absent myself from the struggle and thus maintain power."

"I always wanted to go to England" Kagome sighed dreamily.

"Hn."

**Author's Note: I'm trying to implement historical elements of the Edo/ Meiji era in Japan and the Regency period in Britain, please send me any corrections or details that you think are important, especially about the Japanese eras since I'm more familiar with British history.**

***I just randomnly picked western areas on a map of Edo provinces, and I thought it should be a large area so I combined things and I have accepted that I am being completely incorrect historically.**


	2. These British Have No Sense

The pair spent a year in preparation for their life in England. As they had both taken the time to learn the language, Kagome as part of her required education and Sesshoumaru out of boredom and his obsessive-compulsive need to know everything, their preparation revolved around cementing a knowledge of the manners and morals of the time. Fortunately England had entered a period where etiquette was not as strict, and allowances were made more easily.

As Perry had yet to force Japan into the Western market, the two decided to establish themselves as the Lord family of the landed gentry who had aristocratic heritage in the Far East. Their home would be in Ashbourne near Derbyshire.

Kagome was much enamored with the fashion of the era. It was the absence of corsets in favor of looser, flowing drapery that did it, whereas Sesshoumaru looked upon the gentleman's style with distaste.

"These British have no sense" he stated flatly as she walked into his rooms to show off her new gowns.

"Oh?" she asked with some bemusement.

"Just look at these hakamas." He held up a pair of pants. "They are at least three sizes too small, and totally impossible to move freely in."

She smiled, "They are the fashion of the landed gentry, so I suppose you will have to make do. Have hope," she chuckled, " in about thirty years they will become looser trousers." After a lengthly amount of grumbling to make his point, she was able to convince him to don the hated leg coverings.


	3. A Cloyingly Charming Man

"Society is such a bore" she sighed to herself as she watched the various colors drift past. They were at a ball of all things. In order to be "presented" to the _ton_. Such foolishness. As if it had anything to do with presenting. Really, it was an excuse for the unmarried young ladies to size up their prey.

Sesshoumaru was looking suitably stoic, but she could tell he wanted to rip out someones, if not all of their, eyes. As if the pants weren't enough, now he had to deal with women who talked continuously and who insisted on pawing him. It was enough to drive anyone to the bloodbath.

However, she had her own problems to deal with. She had not been fortunate enough to escape notice and she was surrounded by both those ladies unlucky enough to be pushed out of the immediate ring around Sesshoumaru and who were looking for tidbits, and the gentlemen who had sniffed out a heiress.

"Would the lady like to take a turn around the garden?" a cloyingly charming voice asked.

She turned to see a blonde gentlemen in the soldier red with looks straight out of a prince charming description, and the faint hints of a smirk. She immediately disliked him. But of course she couldn't show that she thought he felt oily. Metaphysically of course.

She smiled, allowing herself to look up at him through her lashes. "I must decline sir. I feel that my brother would not look well on dissapearing with a stranger whose name I no naught of." She fluttered her lashes, mentally scowling, "Kami, I hate the contemporary image of women."

However it seemed to have worked, as he stammered out "...Wickham."

**Author's Note:**

**I'm doing a little bit of revision to introduce Darcy better. I figured, my main pairing is Darcy and Kagome, and previously I had kind of jumped the gun on bringing him in.**


	4. The Brooding Stranger

She drifted away from him while he was lost in envisioning her supposed interest in him.

A tall gentleman across the room caught her eye. It wasn't his looks. Kami knew she could have suffered Wickham if that was what mattered to her, no, it was the contrast between his stoic, bored expression and the laughter in his eyes. He almost reminded her of an early Sesshoumaru.

She glanced over at her erstwhile companion at the thought. His look of boredom was fading into obvious disgust. She caught his eye as the music for the next dance started up. He broke away from his entourage and took up her hand, much to the jealousy of the other ladies and to the amusement of Kagome.

"How do you stand this constant posturing?" he murmured as he led her through the steps.

She smiled at him "By bringing in my femine whiles of course" he scowled at her. "At which point I can escape them because their brain has gone into overdrive."

"Such language from a lady in search of a situation" he smirked at her. She laughed and tossed her head, but before she could respond the dance had ended and the brooding stranger with the mocking eyes had approached.


	5. The First Introduction

Kagome shifted into a demure posture, stepping back slightly and letting Sesshoumaru take the fore. She could not know this man until her brother introduced us.

"Fitzwilliam Darcy" he introduced, tipping his head down in a small bow of introduction.

"Samuel Lord" Sesshoumaru inclined his head in reply and stepped to the side, "may I present my sister Miss Kagome Lord."

"How do you do Mr. Darcy" she extended her hand to be bowed over. He was quite tall up close. Not that Kagome was of a very great height, but he was only slightly shorter than Sesshoumaru.

"Quite well Miss Lord" he answered with a faint upturning to his lips, obviously finding amusement at our family name.

"May I ask what you have found so amusing? I could use it after this frightful ball" he looked between Sesshoumaru and her with a raised brow.

"Oh the company as usual" she smiled, knowing that he had watched her interaction with Wickham.

"Indeed" Sesshoumaru answered. "May I get you a drink Darcy?" he asked politely.

"Not at the moment" replied Mr. Darcy, startled.

She wondered why he was looking at her so closely.

"Kagome?"

"Thank you, I'll have some iced tea."

Polite conversation was never Sesshoumaru's forte. After he had done his brotherly duty of introducing us, he was making his escape.


	6. Quite Companionable

After that first meeting Kagome found herself running into Mr. Darcy at various functions and get-togethers of the up and ups. She enjoyed his wit and his company, oft hidden beneath a cold exterior. But when he wanted to be, he could be quite companionable, though he smiled rarely. There was a dark memory in his thoughts that seemed to become more bitter whenever Wickham was present.

She didn't ask.

And unfortunately Wickham was present often, and generally could be found crowding Kagome in an unfortunate attempt at seduction. He was the only one to whom her distaste was not perfectly clear.

Even Sesshoumaru looked down on him. Of course to him it was more a matter of class than personality, but still.

With the inclusion of an enthusiastic Mr. Bingley in their circles his mood brightened to a steady level of contentment. Mr. Bingley would chatter on about the weather or the horses and Mr. Darcy would nod at appropriate moments, smoothly avoiding the grasping eyes of Mr. Bingley's sister. Even Sesshoumaru could be drawn in sometimes, using the male presence to dissuade the circling flock of females.

And Mr. Darcy, though he didn't show it obviously, became less melancholy in the Lords' presence. He didn't appear to brood as much and he often sought out their company at the dances. Never to dance nor really for conversation. He would stand watching as Kagome did her social duties. Returning her smiling glances with his eyes. It wasn't until about a month had passed that their acquaintance became more like friendship.

On the day before Christmas, Kagome and Sesshoumaru chose to host a ball at their estate. Sesshoumaru moodily distanced himself from the preparations, choosing to hole up in his rooms and remember. It was around this time some two hundred years earlier that Rin had finally allowed herself to pass from this plane.

The cheerful reds and greens seemed oddly garish in comparison.

While Kagome felt the loss of old companions as well, she was busy hurrying around making sure everything was just so.

It was not intended to be a large get together, merely a meeting of friends. The Bingleys and Mr. Darcy were coming as well as various others who both she and her brother had agreed upon. Or at least compromised. There was enough for some dancing and music, as well as a full table.

And finally it was time. The guests were here, the music had sounded and Sesshoumaru was on his best behavior.

Then Mr. Darcy, attractive in his dark suit, was in front of her, hand extended and eyes laughing beneath his brows.

"Miss Kagome, would you care to dance?"


End file.
